Dog days of summer

July 19, 2010 at 2:19 a.m.Updated July 20, 2010 at 2:20 a.m.

By Myra Starkey

I recently arrived home from a vacation in Seattle and realized just how hot it is in Texas. My favorite time of year is spring and summer, mainly because of the long, sunny days. Seattle this time of the year has mostly sunny skies with daytime temperatures in the mid-70s. Needless to say, it took a little time of readjustment for me.

I was glad to be home but did enjoy the fantastic weather, the tours of quaint towns and beautiful gardens and lots of Pacific/northwestern food. I intend to write about all these adventures in the coming weeks, but for now I have to tell of my current predicament in life.

My days are typically filled with my administrative work at the clinic, or if I have extra time, working in the garden. Rarely do I encounter detective work. Thankfully, I have not witnessed any recent crimes that I have to solve, but I am involved in the current investigation of "The case of the missing dog."

Last Friday morning, after I had returned from my travels, I was awakened at about 5 a.m. by my two watch-poodles, Hazel and Lola. They were barking ferociously at some outside intruder. I cautiously exited the bed and peered out the windows, but I could see no danger. The barking quieted momentarily and then resumed, waking Taylor. He muttered some unkind words about our faithful pooches and rolled out of bed to investigate.

I had to fix breakfast at about 7. I have a window over my kitchen sink, and I looked out onto the driveway and noticed a strange shadow behind the F-150.

I went out the back door into the back yard and then opened the gate to the driveway. It was a lost dog. It had a long, red line tied to its purple nylon collar, and the line had gotten stuck under the truck tire, so he was trapped. It looked to be a young, yellow Labrador/retriever mix.

When I approached him, he felt threatened and cowered and squatted in submission. The four-legged Houdini had obviously escaped from his home. He seemed friendly enough, but I thought Taylor could deal with him. He went out and walked the dog around the neighborhood but could find no one to claim him, so he put him in the backyard.

I placed an ad in the newspaper and called a couple of veterinarians. The canine had no tags; therefore, no information was available to us to help him find his home. I tried letting him go and following him, but he was happy to just run ahead and then return to my side.

I tied the dog near the end of the driveway out of harm's way, hoping the owner would drive by and call his name, but so far, no one has come for him. My hopes jumped when I received a Saturday call from a family who had lost a yellow dog called "Buddy," but my hope dissolved after they arrived and told me this was not their dog. My hopeless search for "Buddy's" family is soon coming to an end as I will have to turn him over to the pound. I called the pound, and they told me that they would take him, but that after 72 hours, he becomes the "property of Animal Control," and I think I know what that means.

If you are missing a dog, please call me soon. And if I don't hear from the owner and you are looking for a good companion, then contact me. This dog needs a home.

Summer is almost over, and soon children will return to school. But there are at least a few more weeks to enjoy the informalities and slow activities of these hot days. Impromptu dinner with family, neighbors and friends can be accomplished easily with simple recipes. The important ingredient is the desire to connect.

An evening dinner in the backyard complete with Lemon-Limeade Punch, Garbanzo, Green Bean and Tomato Salad, and barbecue chicken will satisfy your desire to spend less time in a hot kitchen and more time outside in the shade of trees and patio umbrellas. And throw a little scrap to your dog just to show them how much you love 'em.

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Place olive oil, onion and garlic in saucepan and saute until onions are translucent. Add barbecue sauce, mustard, molasses to the onion mixture. Bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Prepare grill and grill drumsticks for 20 minutes until juice runs clear. Transfer half of sauce to a separate bowl for serving. With remainder sauce brush drumsticks until a glaze forms, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately with reserved sauce.

GARBANZO, GREEN BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD

1 pound fresh green beans

1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 pint of halved yellow cherry tomatoes (optional)

1/2 cup capers

1/2 cup pitted olives (Kalmata), chopped coarsely

1/2 cup red onion, diced

2 green onions, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can Garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper

Vinaigrette:2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. chopped dill

salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil and add dash of salt. Place green beans in boiling water until tender. They should be bright green, not dull. Remove and place in ice water and continue to cool, adding ice as necessary. This will stop cooking process. Drain in a colander. Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients and then season with salt and pepper. In a large serving bowl, add all ingredients together and toss. You can prepare 1 hour ahead or assemble vegetables and add dressing before serving. Serve room temperature. Add salt and pepper to taste.

LEMON-LIME SPARKLER DRINK1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade

1 (6 oz) can frozen limeade

1 liter lemon-lime soda

2 lemons thinly sliced

1 lime thinly sliced

1 orange thinly sliced

Sliced strawberries (garnish) or mint

Make lemonade and limeade according to package directions. Add soda and fruit. Serve with a sliced strawberry on top.

All about (chickpeas) Garbanzo Beans

Garbanzo beans, which may also be called chickpeas, are a member of the legume family. They are pale cream colored and mostly round in shape. They are the essential ingredient in hummus (a chickpea dip) served in Mediterranean cuisine. Chickpeas are also used in Asian cuisine and in several types of Indian curry.

Garbanzo beans are high in protein having around 15 grams of protein per serving and only 269 calories per cup. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber and contain nutrients like iron and folate. They can be purchased in a can or dried.